Sorry.

Hello Dear Ones,

Do you know someone who just simply cannot say ‘sorry’?

Are you yourself, someone who cannot say ‘sorry’?

Sorry is a word that is poorly understood and sadly less and less frequently used. I think this is because of the misunderstanding of its multiple meanings and proper use in special circumstances.

Children are raised with the notion that we only say sorry if we have done something wrong, because we are to ‘blame’. Most teachers and parents try to ingrain the social courtesy of apologising with this word when a hurtful act or spoken word has literally hurt  or offended someone.

But as we grow older and become a part of the bigger world around us, the word sorry grows in its appropriateness for other situations. Or it should.

It can be a word of comfort to the grieving and bereaved. “I am sorry to hear that you lost a loved one..”

 It can be a word of support to the lonely or sad. ‘I am sorry that you are feeling so sad.’

It can let people that we really care about know that we feel for them and have some small understanding of how they might be feeling.

It is a word of compassion.

It does not have to be limited to the one out-of-proportion understanding that says that we are to ‘blame’. Society loves to lay blame, as reinforced by media and government vocabulary and intent. This is not always the case, nor necessary, and fundamentally (among many other things) hinders the empowerment of ourselves as individuals as well as a social group and tends to make us ‘toe the line’.

Be different. Be more aware.

In a grown up world, we can shed the childish notion that to say sorry is a weakness. Try it for yourself and you will find that it is actually empowering! It brings an open-hearted connection to a relationship or situation, where fears and awkwardness dissolve and compassion arises to raise the experience to a whole new level and awaken us to the power we have when we are aligned lovingly with not just another being, but with that small and higher guiding light within us. It may be an acquaintance or loved one or even total stranger. Whatever circumstance, there can be a monumental release, closure, heightened awareness and richer bond created. Not all of these will occur necessarily all in the same moment, nor with every person you say sorry to. But in verbalising some compassion and understanding towards another, we ourselves are also the receivers of the gift.

Yet as the old song says: “Sorry seems to be the hardest word”.

So allow yourself to let go of the ingrained blaming-type aura surrounding the word. Use it maturely and honestly and lovingly. Look at it more deeply and unconditionally, without reservations. It might be quite awkward at first of course, but practice fixes that. And I have to remind myself of this at times too. We’re all still human, well partly anyway. . . but that’s another story.

Be well and loving on

The Universal Journey.

Starwhite Earthguide signing off for now with hugs!